Doctors resume work in capital, strike on in other states

New Delhi, June 1: Medical services in several parts of the country remained affected today even as doctors resumed work in the national capital after being on strike for 18 days against the government's move to increase OBC seats in centres of higher education The Supreme court, which had decided to go into the reservation issue, had yesterday asked striking doctors to resume duty immediately or face contempt.

However, the agitation against reservation continued with its focus shifting from AIIMS to Delhi University. Students from colleges, including medical and engineering, Jawaharlal Nehru University and representatives of residents welfare associations would continue their stir from Delhi University.

The decision to call off the strike was taken after day-long consultations among student and with legal experts where the doctors appeared divided on how to carry on their protests in view of the Apex Court's call to end the strike immediately.

Hours after junior doctors in here called off their indefinite stir, medicos at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) followed suit today, resuming their duties after putting their strike in ''suspended animation.'' Sir Sunder Lal Hospital, BHU, Resident Doctors Association (RDA) leader, Mahesh Kate told UNI here the medicos, on strike for the last 17 days, late last night decided to resume duties, by putting their stir in ''suspended animation.'' He claimed the indefinite hunger strike proposed from today has been put off for the time being and symbolic protest in form of medicos wearing black bands at work will follow.

Meanwhile in Orissa, medical services in several private hospitals and clinics in the state were affected today as doctors resorted to ceasework in response to a call by the state unit of the Indian Medical Association(IMA) to protest against the OBC reservation policy of the Centre in higher educational institutions.

IMA Orissa unit President Dr Krupasindhu Panda said the cease work agitation was almost total in Orissa as the doctors abstained from their duties in private hospitals and clinic to support the cause of the striking medicos.

UNI